More people taking up broadband

The number of internet subscribers using broadband increased by 10.7% in the six months to March this year.

Statistics New Zealand figures show 891,000 subscribers are on broadband.

The number using dial-up services has fallen by by a little over 9% since last September.

There are just over 1.5 million internet users in New Zealand.

Sixty internet service providers are now operating, compared with 57 last September.

Internet New Zealand executive director Keith Davidson says that while New Zealand is low in the rankings for broadband use among developed countries, that will change considerably in the next five years.